
BESSEMER STEEL, 

EXHIBITED BY 



FAGERSTA BRUK 



AT THE 



International Exhibition in Philadelphia. 



1876. 




CHR. ASPELIN, 

MANAGING DIRECTOR, 

WESTANFORS, FAGERSTA, 

SWEDEN. 





BESSEMER STEEL, 



EXHIBITED 



BY 



FAGERSTA BRUKs a-ktie^hola^^ 



AT THE 



International Exhibition in Philadelphia. 



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/ 



1876. 



LlB» 



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CHR. ASPELIN, 

MANAGING DIRECTOR, 

WESTANFORS, FAGERSTA, 

SWEDEN. 






^'SlT. / 



PRESS OF J. B. LIPPINCOTT & CO., PHILADELPHIA. 



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FAGERSTA STEEL WORKS. 




PRODUCTS EXHIBITED, 

I. Iron Ores, from the 
mines of Granroten, 
Grondal, and Stortag- 
ten. 

Roasted Iron Ores. 
Limestone. 
Pig Iron and Blast- 
Furnace-slag. 

(For analyses see An- 
nex No. I.) 



2. Series of broken 9-inch 
Bessemer Steel In- 
gots of various de- 
grees of hardness, with 
Blooms forged from 
pieces of the same. 
Slag from the con- 
verter. 



3. Cohimn, containing: 
Bessemer Steel, for 

machinery, square and 
round, from ^ to 5 
inches diameter. 



ANALYSES AND CERTIFICATES. 

ANNEX I. 

The Iron Ores and Limestone, employed at the Charcoal 
Blast Furnaces at Westanfors and Fagersta, con- 
sist of the following component parts : 





IRON ORE FROM THE MINES OFi 


5 5; -J 




" OsO-a 
Stortdgienr 


'' Gran- 
rot r 


" Gr ti- 
dal r 


5 5;^ 


Silica 


27-49 

1.30 

2.16 

1.76 

0.81 ■' 
20.74 
46.14 

0.016 


3.10 

2.05 

1.20 

1.05 

10.40 

23-56 

52.44 

6.10 

0:009 


6-35 
1. 15 
2.65 
3-85 
5-5° 
22.82 
50.78 

5-95 
0.014 


10.82 




y-''^ 




36.61 

6.86 
1-25 


Magnesia 

Protoxide of Manganese. 


.Sesquioxide of Iron 

Carbonic Acid 

Phosphoric Acid 


37-18 
0.007 


j 100.416 


99.909 


99.064 


99.877 



The Average Chemical Composition formed by the mixture of 
these Iron Ores with the Limestone, employed as flux, is as fol- 
lows : 

Per ct. Oxygen. Oxygen, 

Silica 11.93 6.37 

Alumina 2.50 1.16 

Lime 7.51 7.53 2.14 

Magnesia 2.76 i.io 7-53 _ ,55 

Protoxide of Manganese 5 63 1.27 4.51 

" " Iron 19-76 4-51 

Sesquioxide of Iron 43-89 

Carbonic Acid 6.02 

Phosphoric Acid 0.013 

Such a charge yields, upon smelting, from 48 to 50 per cent, of 
Pig Iron, which is tapped direct from the blast furnace into the 



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FAG ERST A STEEL WORKS. 



Tramway-rails and 

Angle-Steel. 

Steel for Springs, 

from I ^ to 4 inches. 



ANNEX I . — Contin tied. 

Bessemer Converters, and consists on the average of the following 
component parts : 

Per ct. 

Carbon, combined 3-46o 

" graphitic 1. 289 

Silicon 0.771 

Manganese 4-49' 

Phosphorus 0.027 

Sulphur trace. 

The Blast Furnace slag contains : 

Per ct. 

Silica 41.96 

Alumina 7-02 

Lime 25.04 

Magnesia 17-75 

Protoxide of Manganese 6.57 

" " Iron 0.23 

Alkalies not determined. 

98-57 
As no Spiegeleisen or ordinary Cast Iron is employed, the 
"blow" must be stopped when the proportion of carbon in the 
steel is reduced to the proper degree. Notwithstanding this, the 
steel is entirely free from red-shortness. 

The following analyses show the chemical compositions of the 
various classes of steel employed for the purposes specified : 



Oxygen. 
22.83 


Oxygen. 






3-27 
25-65 


7.16 
7.09 
1.48 
0.05 
15-78 


25-65_ 
15.78 


.62 



Per ct. 

Trace. 



a) Steel for Soft Plates, | perct. Perct. 

Railway Axles, etc.... 0.085 ^ 0.008 

b) Steel for Gun-Barrels, 1 

Shafts, etc [ 0.25 | 0.036 0.234 

c) Soft Steel for Tools; j 

Saws, etc O.70 I 0.032 0.256 

d) Hard Steel for Tools; 

Chisels, Turning 

Tools, etc 1.05 0.067 I 0.355 



■^ 



Per ct. 
0.025 



0.023 



o 028 



Trace. 



An Analysis of the Slag from the converter, taken at the close 
of the process, shows its composition to be as follows r 

Silica 46.70 

Alumina 4-24 

Lime °-48 

Magnesia °-'7 

Protoxide of Manganese 32-37 

" Iron 15-63 



99-59 
E. BKUiEWiiT;. 



FAGERSTA STEEL WORKS. 



4. For Engineering 
Works: 

Crank-Shafts, Loco- 
motive Cranks. 
Various Forcings 
for Machinery. 
(See Annex No. 2.) 



5- Spikes and Nails. 

^?. Forged Spikes, 
Nails, and Nailrods. 

/^. Cut Nails and Flat 
Iron for Cut Nails. 



6. Railway Appa- 
ratus : 

Axles, among which 
is one tested by several 
strokes from a ram of 
12 cwt. 
Springs. 
Buffers. 
(See Annex No. 3.) 



ANNEX II. 

Upon request, we hereby certify that during the last years we 
have always used to the more important movable parts for steam- 
engines made by us, such as connectinij-rods, cross-heads, crank- 
shafts, ])ropel]er-shafts, and shaftings in general, steel from the 
Fagersta Steel Works, and found the same to be of excellent qual- 
ity, tough, dense, and homogeneous, and consequently forming 
very superior wearing-surfaces in liearings, etc. ; so much so that 
it has never occurred that any shaft or part of engine made from 
aforesaid steel has sprung, or in any case proved defective in spite 
of very severe trials. 

Goteborgs Mekan. Verkstad, the 22 Febr., 1876. 

Goteborgs Mekaniska Verkstads Aktie-Bolag. 
Jamks Keiller. 
The undersigned has for a long time been using Bessemer 
steel of various temper, from the Fagersta Iron and Steel Works, 
for all machinery purposes, and on request of my opinion, I hereby 
certify tliat tliis steel is of an excellent quality, and has all the good 
jiroperties of strength and elasticity that may possibly Ise demanded, 
and I consider it fully comparable with English crucible cast-steel 
in regard to its homogeneity. 

The Engineering Works of Eskilstuna, March 4, 1876. 

Theofr. Munktei.l, 
Machinery Manufacturer. 

At the request of Mr. Chr. Aspelin, I hereby mention that, 
during many years, Fagersta Bessemer steel is used in our En- 
gineering Works for railway-axles and shafts, and also for all kinds 
of forgings for machinery; and I hereby certify that this steel has 
proved to be very suitable to the said purposes, and is of the best 
quality. 

Arboga Engineering Works, March 11, 1876. 

C. I. Olsson. 

ANNEX III. 

Hereby is certified at the request of the Fagersta Steel Works, 
that in order to ascertain the quality of Bessemer Steel Axles, manu- 
factured at the said Works, this axle was without previous choice 
taken out from a lot of two hundred axles, ordered for the Swedish 
State Railways, and tested in the following manner and with the 
following results : 

The bearings of the axle were turned in sharp corners nearest 
to the shaft, the axle was then laid on two sharp edges, one under 
the middle of each bearing, and received blows in the midth of the 
shaft with a ram of 12 cwts. weight, from a height of successively 
5 feet to 20 feet. When showing the inflexion of about 10 inches, 
the axle was turned around and again straightened by several blows 
with the same ram from a height of 24 feet. 
Stockholm, February 22, 1876. 

C. O. Troilius, 

General Director. 
Fred. Almgren, 
Chief Director of Rolling Stock. 



FAGERSTA STEEL WORKS. 




7. Saw Blades. 

8. Plates. 

Slabs, li a m ni e r e d , 
broken for showing 
the fracture. 
Slabs, rolled. 

Steam Boiler, made 

from Fagersta steel, 
and showing its tough- 
ness. 
(See Annex No. 4.) 

9. Gun Barrels. 

'^^See Annex No. 5.) 

a. A. Series, showing 
the different stages in 
the manufacture of 
gun barrels, that are 
rolled over balls from 
punched pieces. 
(See Annex No. 5.) 




ANNEX IV. 

At the Goteliorg Engineering Works in the c<nirse of tlie 
summer 1869, a small Steamer was supplied with a lo-horse powei 
high-pressure Engine and a Boiler, constructed as shown above. 
After a year the Steamer returned to the said Works for repair of 
the Boiler. By shortness of water the crown of the flue had been 
made red hot and forced downward to a great extent, without the 
plates being injured in any other way, hereby testifying both the 
strength of construction obtained by flanging the edges of the flue- 
joints, and also the unparalleled excellence of material. 

The plates are rolled from Fagersta (Sweden) Bessemer 
Ingots. The flues of nil the Marine Boilers from our establish- 
ment are, since many years, without exception, constructed of the 
same material. 

GoTEBORGS Mekaniska Verkstads AKTn:-BoLAG. 



Goteborg, Sweden. 



ANNEX V. 



I, the undersigned, hereby certify, on requisition to that effect, 
that barrels manufactured at the Fagersta Steel Works have, for 
about the last three years, been exclusively employed for the small 
fire-arms constructed at the Swedish Government Gun Manufactory 
for the supply of the army ; and that such barrels are still em[-)loyed 
for the fire-arms now in course of construction at the said Manu- 
factory. 

Stockholm, the Tenth day of April, 1873. 

(Signed) 

C. G. Breitholtz, 
Master of the Ordnance. 
(" Falttygmastare.") 
Since the commencement of the year 187 1, the Hus(|varna Arms 
Manufactory has taken its requisite supply of Gun Barrels from the 
Fagersta Steel Works, and found the said barrels, both as regards 
material and make, to be of excellent (juality. 

On behalf of The Ilusqvarna Arms Manufactory Company 
(Limited). (Signed) 

Victor Ankarcro.na, 
Managing Director. 



FA GEES TA *S TEE L WORKS. 



b. Gun barrel, that has 
been subjected to trials 
at the gun factory of 
Husqvarna, as de- 
scribed in the annexed 
statement. 
(See Annex No. 6.) 



ANNEX VI. 

On the 27th of March, 1869, a steel gun barrel manufactured 
at the Fagersta Steel Works was subjected to testing experiments 
at the Husqvarna Gun Manufactory, in the presence of the under- 
signed ; and during the progress of the expermients the following 
observations were noted : 
1st proof: A charge of gunpowder l^ " lod" (5 drams, i scruple, 

16 grains avoirdupois), I testing ball. 
2d proof: A charge of gunpowder 3 "lod" (l ounce, 3 drams, 

12 grains), 2 testing balls. 
3d proof: A charge of gunpowder 3 "lod" (l ounce, 3 drams, 
12 grains), 3 testing balls. 

The above three proofs were discharged without any remarkable 
result. 

4th proof: 3 " lod" (i ounce, 3 drams, 12 grains), of gunpowder, 
4 testing balls. Result : The powder-gas escaped through the 
touch-hole; the balls remained in the barrel, and had to be re- 
moved by smelting. 
5th proof: 4^ "lod" (2 ounces, 2 scruples, 8 grains), 4 testing 

balls. No effect on the barrel. 
6th proof: l^ "lod" (5 drams, I scruple, 16 grains) of gun- 
powder. One ball was forced into a position of 7^ " verktum" 
(7^ inches) from the muzzle. Result: A protuberance in the 
form of an egg was produced in the barrel, at the seat of the ball. 
7th proof: 3 "lod" (i ounce, 3 drams, 12 grains) of gunpowder. 
A ball was driven into a position of I " verktum" (l inch) from 
the muzzle. Result: The same as in the previous proof, viz., 
The barrel was enlarged at the seat of the ball. 
8th proof: 3 "lod" (i ounce, 3 drams, 12 grains) of gunpowder. 
The ball at the muzzle. Result : The enlargement above de- 
scribed, produced by the seventh proof, was extended by the 
eighth proof almost to the muzzle. 

Notwithstanding the barrel, after the discharge of each of the 
above proofs, was carefully examined, no other results could be 
discovered than those above described. 

Lastly : it should be observed that the balls employed weighed 
originally 6.65 " ort" (7 drams, 2 scruples, 18 grains), but after 
they had been forced into their positions, and, consequently, part 
of their substance had fallen off, they only weighed 5.50 "ort" (6 
drams, i scruple, 15 grains). 
Husqvarna, dated as above. 

(Signed) 

B. MUNCK, 

Late Colonel. 

(Signed) 
Emil Ankarcrona, 
Managing Director of the Husqvarna Gun Manufactory. 
(Signed) (Signed) 

C. E. NORSTROM, A. J. GUSTAFSSON, 

Lieutenant-Colonel. Inspector of Ordnance. 

(Signed) (Signed) 

J. HoLMBERG, Anders Herrlin, 

Gun-smith. Inspecting Officer, 



FAG ERST A STEEL WORKS. 



c. Five Gun barrels, sub- 
jected to severe test- 
ing experiments at 
Karl Gustaf's Stads 
Gun Manufactory, as 
described in the an- 
nexed statement. 
(See Annex No. 7.) 

d. A Series, showing 
the different stages in 
the manufacture of 
Gun barrels from ham- 
mered, solid pieces. 



10. Tools for Rock 
Drilling. 
Tool-Steel. 
A Series of broken 
1-inch square steel, 

showing the different 
fractures on account 
of different degrees of 
carbonization. 

Steel Bars of vari- 
ous temper, welded 
together and broken, 
to show the fracture. 

A Series of Besse- 
mer products from 
the Bessemer con- 
verter taken out at 



ANNEX VII. 

Report of the Proving Experiments, upon Barrels manu- 
factured at the Fagersta Steel Works, made at the 
Karl Gustaf's Stad's Gun Manufactory, in 
the Month of May, 1872. 

The Barrels were proved in the Proving House of the Manu- 
factory with gunpowder from the Aker's Gunpowder Mills, of the 
make of 1865. The testing balls employed weighed 6 " ort" (7 
drams, 11 grains avoirdupois), and were 0.42 "decimal tum" 
(j-*5^ inch) in diameter. 

First, three barrels, Nos. i, 2, and 3, turned and bored as de- 
livered from the steel works to the Gun Manufactory, were loaded 
and discharged. 

In previous experiments with barrels from the Fagersta Steel 
Works, it had been found that no remarkable effect was produced 
until I ball and a charge of g " ort" (i ounce, 2 drams, 2 scruples, 
7 grains) were employed. The experiments, therefore, commenced 
— after the ordinary proof (a testing ball and a charge of 4.5 "ort'' 
(5 drams, i scruple, 3 grains) — with the above mentioned ball and 
a charge of 9 "ort" (i ounce, 2 drams, 2 scruples, 7 grains) ; after 
which the number of balls was increased to 9, with the same charge. 
The result was, that in two of the barrels the powder-gas did not 
force out the balls, but escaped through the touch-hole. These 
barrels were reloaded and discharged with the same result. 

After the lead had been smelted away from the inside of these 
barrels, the experiments were continued with all three; the balls, 
however, being placed at the muzzles. This proof commenced 
with I ball and a charge of 0.5 "ort" (i scruple, 16 grains), and 
ceased when the charge had been increased to 6 " ort" (7 drams, 
I r grains), and the number of balls to 5. 

In the following Minutes the results of the experiments are more 
fully stated. 

Subsequently, 3 finished barrels, Nos. 1808, 251 1, and 2635 were 
loaded and discharged. 

Barrel No. 1808, after having been subjected to the ordinary 
proof, was discharged with the usual sharp cartridge, and a testing 
ball, placed 27 " tum" (31^ inches) from the chamber end of the 
barrel. The only result was, that a considerable protul>erance was 
produced at the seat of the ball. 

Barrel No. 251 1 (rejected on account of defective make) was 
subjected to a similar proof, with the same result. 

Barrel No. 2635 burst in the proof. In this experiment a test- 
ing ball was employed, and the charge was increased from i "ort" 
(i dram, 12 grains) to 16 "ort" (2 ounces, 3 drams, 10 grains), 
when the barrel burst, after having borne 14 limes the charge for 
which it was constructed. 

Karl Gustaf's Stad, the 25th day of May, 1872. 
(Signed) 
F. G. Treffenber(;, 
Lieutenant in the Royal G5ta Artillery, 
Working-Officer at the Karl Gustaf's Stad Gun Manufactory^ 



FAGERSTA STEEL WORKS. 



different periods du- 
ring the "blow," with 
samples of slag, taken 
at the same time. 



II. A Collection of 

Steel samples from 
Fagersta, of various 
temper, tested at the 
Testing Works of Mr. 
D. Kirkaldy, in Lon- 
don. The whole form- 
ing a very complete 
series of experiments, 
made for investigating 
the strength of the 
material, by tension, 
elasticity, compres- 
sion, and torsion, etc. 
A statement of the 
results is contained 

in Special tables, 

which may be ob- 
tained on application 
at the office of the 
Swedish Commission. 



ANNEX N\\.— Continued. 

Minutes taken. May, 1872, at the Proving of Gun Barrels 

(Nos. 1, 2, and 3) manufactured at the Fagersta 

Steel Works. 





Weight of the 


1 






Charge in 






Number of 


Swedish "ort" 


Number of 




Discharges. 


(1 ort"=l dram 
12 grains 


Balls. 


OBSERVATIONS. 




avoirdupois). 






I 


4-5 
9 


I 


Barrels unaftected. 


2 


I 


A slight enlargement was produced 








in all the barrels, at the seat of 








the ball. 








The above-named enlargement 


3 

4 


9 
9 


2 


was increased, and the calibre 


3 


on each side of the seat of the 


5 


9 


4 


ball was also somewhat in- 


6 


9 

9 


5 
6 


creased; in addition to which, 


7 


at the fourth discharge of Bar- 


8 


9 
9 


7 
8 


rel No. 3, a protuberance was 


9 


produced before the seat of the 








ball. 


lO 


9 


9 


The powder-gas escaped through the 
touch-holes of barrels Nos. I and 
2, without the balls being re- 
moved from their seats; while in 
Barrel No. 3 the balls were dis- 
charged. 


II 


9 


9 


Only Barrels Nos. i and 2 were 
loaded and discharged, with the 
same results as in the preceding 
proof. 

WITH THE BALLS AT THE MUZZLES 
OF THE BARRELS, 


I 


0.5 


I 


The jiowder-gas escaped through 
the touch-hole. 


2 


I 


I 


The balls were discharged ; the 
barrels unaftected. 


3 


I 


2 


The balls were discharged ; the 
barrels unaffected. 


4 


I 


3 


An enlargement was produced in 
the barrels at the seats of the balls. 


5 


I 


4 


The powder-gas escaped from the 
touch-hole of barrel No. 2. 


6 


2 


4 


The balls were dischargeil from 
barrel No. 2. 


7 


2 


5 


The powder-gas escaped from the 
touch-hole of barrel No. 2. 


8 


3 


5 


The powder-gas escaped from the 
touch-hole of barrel No. I. 


9 


4 


5 


A protuberance was produced in 
barrel No. 3 at the seat of the ball. 


lO 


5 


s • 


A protuberance was produced in 
barrel No. I at the seat of the ball. 


II 


6 


• 5 


A protuberance was produced in 
barrel No. 2 at the seat of the ball. 



Karl Gustaf's .Stad, 25th May, 1872. 

(Signed) 

F. G. TREI TENBERC,, 

Lieutenant in the Royal Gota Artillery, 
Working Officer at the Karl Gustaf's Stad's Gun Manufactory. 



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